Stove Safety Precautions

(559 Words)
A stove is an essential part of any kitchen, but is also a very dangerous item, especially so for people with children. It is very important to take the right safety precautions to safeguard yourself and your family.
Make sure to always properly supervise your stove. You should never leave something on it while you go out, even for five minutes. Even something that seems like it is cooking fine can have a problem and you want to be there to supervise it. This is especially important if you have young children.
Make sure to keep a smoke detector near the stove. You want to know if the smoke gets out of hand. Also, keep a fire extinguisher right by the stove. Use it instead of throwing water on a fire. Make sure that it is operational and that you know how to use it so that if a fire occurs, you will be able to immediately put it out.
If you have young children, try as best you can to cook on the back burners. This will make it less likely that your children will reach up and accidentally get burned. You should also turn the handles so that they face in and make it less likely that your children will get burned.
Be careful what you are cooking. Do not overfill pots so that water splashes out and creates a hazard to you. Get a bigger pot if you need or fill it with less food.
If you have children, then take steps to make sure that they do not accidentally or purposefully try to operate the stove. One way to do this is to get knob covers that go on top of the knobs on the stove. Some stoves may allow you to lock them. Consider your stove, its controls and what is available. Of course, nothing can substitute for proper supervision.
Make sure to keep your stove very clean. Fires can start if you have food or other residue hidden underneath the burners on the surface of a flattop stove. Make sure that you clean it regularly so that there will be nothing to catch fire.
Make sure to utilize hot gloves so that you do not burn your hands while you are cooking on the stove. Also, you should not leave metal spoons in the pot because you might end up burning your hands.
There are some special precautions that relate to gas stoves. Make sure that you have a carbon monoxide detector in your home so that you’re aware if there is a leak or another problem. If you hear anything that sounds like hissing or if there is a gas smell, then turn the gas off, open your windows and leave. You might want the fire department to come out. If you have a stove without a pilot light, then light it right away after the gas is on because otherwise this can cause an explosion; it can seriously injure you. Replace any rusty parts or anything else that is in disrepair.
Remember that the stove can stay hot for far longer than it is on. Do not put anything on it or touch it until you are certain it is cooled down.
It is very important to keep yourself safe when using the stove. The above safety precautions can help you.